Thanks for posting that, SkateAngel! She is everything Joe has hinted.

I am bowled over by her natural grace, flexibility, marvelous spins, and general ease on the ice. Her jumps are very pretty, with a very high free leg, but could use a little more power, perhaps. She looks to me like one who has watched and learned from Sasha!

I couldn't get Flatt's LP from the link here, but I completely agree with Doris's assessment of her SP. To me there's no comparison between these two skaters. Obviously I wouldn't make it as a judge.

I don't really get all the hype about Flatt. Yes, she lands the jumps, but I know girls her age, skating at two or three levels BELOW her with better presentation than her. I'm not saying she doesn't have potential, but right now I don't see her as a major force to be reckoned with. Plus, there are too many kids that look to be on track for success at that age but then fizzle out. I'd like to see her again in two or three years before I proclaim her the future of US skating. Ditto with Zhang, though she certainly is more polished than Flatt. I think she out-Sashas Miss Cohen on Sasha's own signature moves! However, she is still pretty tiny, who knows how much she'll grow over the next few years, and what effect that might have on her jumps. Her spins have great positions and are very well centered, so she'll get points for that. But like I said, I'll wait a few years before I get too excited over her.

Welcome to Golden Skate, SkateAngel ,and thank you so much for posting that youtube of Caroline. It's nice to show some of our members something of what I saw at last year's Nats.

Dancindiva - To think of Rachel and Caroline as comparable to top tier skaters is, in my opinion, a bit early in their careers as competitive figure skaters. One should be comparing them to their present competitors.

SpunSilver - I find both of them extremely talented for the future, and both, I think will be developing different styles. I think comparisons will be on the tech side.

Thankyou so much for the video of Caroline Zhang. And please count me in as another that is absolutely bowled over by her. Stunning bodyline, musicality just oozes out of her and the spins are outrageously good. Seems pretty speedy too. What a wonderful skater in the making. Lets hope she can ride out the puberty monster and not go the way of NNN whom she resembles so much on the ice.

Rachael Flatt I do not get - well the hype anyway. She seems like the second coming of Kimmie Meissner. As others have said she lands the jumps but where's the spark?